heartache
by DevotedSoul
Summary: Not set during any particular series but is pre-S16 because of Andrew's death at the end of S15. Following another one of Andrew's affairs, Duffy seeks comfort in the arms of her best friend. [Duffy/Charlie]


_Posted to Tumblr under ineffabledoll & Wattpad under ineffabledollx_

 _Not set during any particular series although is anything pre S16 (for obvious reasons)_

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She's sitting in the rain. She doesn't know why but she is. She's sat with her back against the wall, in the back garden in the middle of a storm. There's a bottle of vodka beside her, not that she was one to drink. Half of it's gone. It's a funny feeling been out in the storm, almost therapeutic like. She doesn't feel anything anyway, she's hardly going to feel the hypothermia when it sets in, is she?

Is she really that much of a shit wife that he always has to go elsewhere? Granted, their marriage wasn't always happy but what marriage was? She did her best. She worked full time, she raised their sons, she gave him sex whenever he wanted. Was she the problem? Not good enough in bed anymore? Not pretty or young or skinny enough?

She launched the vodka bottle across the garden before proceeding to break down in sobs (again! The bastard always made her cry!) Andrew always did rip her heart out, trample all over it and beg for forgiveness. Love made her take him back over and over again. Love and pride. Pride because she didn't want to be divorced and a single mum with two young boys (although if she's honest, she raises them alone half the time, being divorced wouldn't make a difference)

She frowns when she finds her arm bleeding. She wasn't even aware catching it on anything but she finds the blood and the rain to be a calming influence for the broken heart she has inside.

"Duffy?" She doesn't answer and Charlie steps into the garden. "What are you doing out here, you'll catch your death."

(Would that be a bad thing?) she thinks as she glances at Charlie. He offers her his hand and she placed her hand in his to stand up. He takes her back in the house and sits her at the kitchen table, closing and locking the back door behind him.

That's when he notices the blood on her arm and crouches down in front of her, "where are you hurt?"

She shakes her head, refusing to make eye contact with him. Gently, Charlie placed his hand under her chin and lifts up her head so their eyes met. It saddens him when he finds her eyes empty from her usual sparkle.

"What's he done this time?"

He doesn't need to be a genius to work out that it's Andrew. He knows he's most likely cheated again. He hated him. He always had thought he was an arrogant bastard, more so after the amount of times he'd broken Duffy's heart.

"He... he cheated on me again."

She sobs and he hates it. Charlie hates that she's broken and he can't fix her. He removes his hand from her chin and stands up, wrapping his arms around her tightly. She rests her head in his chest.

"Why doesn't he love me Charlie?"

He rubs her back as she cries, unable to answer the question. (Because he's an idiot Duffy!) Charlie thinks to himself.

"Am I really that bad that no one loves me?"

He sighs. It makes him angry that she doesn't see her worth. She doesn't see how beautiful she really is, how special she is. How she's got the kindest and biggest heart ever.

"Charlie?"

"Hm?"

He removes his arms from around her and crouches down in front of her again, aware of the creaking in his knee because he's not as young as he used to be. She smiles slightly as she meets his gaze once again.

"Kiss me?"

"What?" He frowns at her request and she shrugs before whispering again, "kiss me?"

He doesn't agree nor does he disagree. He placed his hand on her cheek and strokes her cheek with his thumb, wiping the mixture of tears and rain. He looks in her eyes before he does what she asks, he kisses her. It's tenderly and loving and she deepens the kiss.

As she does, her hands move to begin to undo the buttons on his shirt. He placed his hands over hers to stop her and she locks her gaze into his.

He doesn't say anything. A part of him wants to move, to go home. The other drawn to how sweet her lips taste and how sweet she'll taste elsewhere. He presses his lips back to hers and allows her to unbutton his shirt.

She pushes the shirt from his shoulders and he removes her top, leaving her in her bra. He runs his hands up the top half of her body, goosebumps appearing on her skin as he does so. She smiles shyly against his lips.

"Make love to me."

It's barely a whisper, her gaze locked on his. He pulls away from the kiss and stands up, offering her his hand. She takes his hand in hers and stands up. He takes her to the bedroom.

He makes love to her and more. Pleasures her in every way possible. She rests her head on his chest along with her hand, his hand is running up her arm, once again leaving a trail of goosebumps.

"Thank you."

He smiled sadly and kissed the top of her head. She didn't need to thank him, he wanted to show her how loved she really was.

"Stay." She murmurs sleepily, "don't leave.."

He agrees to stay the night, holding her in his arms refusing to sleep. He just watches her all night and thinks, she's incredibly beautiful and it's a shame she doesn't feel loved.

He could love her, does love her. He always would.

If only it was that simple.

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a/n: please, please, please leave me some feedback.

all feedback is loved and welcome, especially constructive criticism.


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